Adam Drake signed with Novarossi in the spring of 2009, shortly before winning his second ROAR national championship in the 1/8-scale buggy class - and he captured another in 2013. To commemorate the brand's long-standing and successful partnership with the fan-favorite driver, Novarossi released a special Adam Drake Edition version of its 5-port .21 engine in March 2016. At 12:45 PM CT today, Drake announced his departure on social media with the following statement.

As 2016 comes to an end, so does my time with Novarossi. It’s been an amazing run and I’m very grateful for the support and relationships I’ve built with everyone at Novarossi and Novarossi Direct. I wish the best for everyone at Novarossi. Looking forward to an exciting new path in 2017!